A. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to an improved pleated packaging wrapper which may be folded prior to use, and a method of making the same.
B. Description of the Prior Art
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,648 there is described a packaging made from a thin sheet which is pleated and the borders of its pleats are affixed to one another by various methods. The pleats are knife pleats. The dimensions of the pleats are selected to conform to the nature of the object to be packaged and with the distance between the welds. The pleats are fixed at the ends, and are free at the middle, such that when they are opened up they form a hollow shape which is suitable for wrapping round sandwiches and the like. The patent describes a method enabling this type of shape to be obtained from a flat sheet by making parallel knife pleats which give the folded wrapping a substantially planar configuration that is expanded up by unfolding.
In the present invention a more generalized method and structure is described, which makes it possible to make wrappings adapted both to sandwiches and to any other kinds of objects as diverse as dishes, pizzas, fruits, sanitary napkins, or beauty products.